Horror on the Orient Express, Episode #1: 'Do you smell burning?'

 With a past concerned with saving the world in their version of 'Shadows of Yog Sothoth', our heroes in this case reside mostly in Arkham, with their cats (who previously appeared in the 'Cathulhu' episodes).

Of these we have Professor Edward Downie of Miskatonic University, recently returned from a California asylum - having generated good (dangerous) knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos, together with Miss Nora Spencer - an occultist of note, with a massive (even more dangerous) Cthulhu Mythos skill, who recently saved the world from destruction at the hands of Cthulhu - also recently 'graduated' from a California Asylum after her triumphant return via German submarine from R'lyeh. 

Paulie Pavlov, their Russian bodyguard - has also survived the destruction of R'lyeh and is now a cop in Arkham ...but Count Mikhail Andreavich Kurosov asked him to guard these 'adventurers' after they saved his life aboard the Mauritania, and that is exactly what he intends to continue to do...so will accom[pany them on their pending journey.

Nora Spencer: Lady of Mystery...who stopped Cthulhu after getting  her hand chewed by an unfriendly ghoul

Professor Edward Downie: Gentleman Occultist, who may also be a crack shot with a Lee Enfield

Dr. Sadiq Al Fayed, one of the best Epigraphers in London, with Professor Smith as his mentor

On the same day that the characters receive an invitation to the 1926 Challenger lecture - their cats are spoken to by Benjamin in the dreamlands, and informed that a dark journey lies ahead of them, and the goddess Bast will be watching, and may help if she can... (and their Dreaming skill is increased to 50%).

Nora's invite includes a note, suggesting knowledge of the island and its emergence...and her part in saving the world.

Oh...that old thing...

Professor Smith of London University, and mentor to Dr. Al Fayad, is also invited to the lecture.

Making the trip to London from Arkham takes just over a week - travelling once more on the Mauretania, the Captain glad they are here - in case there are any more 'mysteries' to solve, and in London, Nora and Edward opt to stay with their old friend Elaine Gibson, of the British Museum (from the older scenario 'The Mystery of Loch Feinn').

The redoubtable Professor Smith

...his rather nervous man-servant - Beddows...

As the lecture starts...the stuffy Professor Smith nods his hello to Miss Spencer, with a view to a talking later...and begins a lengthy treatise on ghostly hauntings as 'epiphenomena'.

 But it is the last slide where he refers to the Cthulhu Mythos, which interests the characters...

 More interesting is the mysterious gentleman who seems to take great interest in proceedings...who seems familiar to Dr. Al Fayad, but he can't place him.

curiouser and curiouser...

 The subsequent meeting is fraught with Professor Smith's excitement as he tells Miss Spencer and Edward of his knowledge of what she accomplished - garnered apparently from a German sailor on the submarine that got them all out...Paulie looks on. They are also introduced to Dr. Al Fayad, who has his own secret projects related to the birth of humanity - as translated from cuneiform tablets... 

Prof. Smith allows the characters time to settle in London, suggesting that they all meet the day after next. The party leave for the evening in good mood and Dr. Al Fayad takes them to his friend Rashid's famous Middle Eastern restaurant. 

The food of course is marvellous, though the news item they find in the evening newspaper is mysterious.

 They agree to meet the next day - though Elaine's cry of alarm next morning wakens Nora and Edward...with an even more mysterious headline in the morning edition...it would seem that Professor Smith had been involved in an incident while they ate the previous night.

 

 Nora and Edward resolve to let Al Fayed know at the university ...though he already received information that leads the characters to their next stop...

With seemingly, no time to lose, the party journey to the rougher end of town, to determine that a nervous Beddows answers the door to an quiet bedsit, and the badly burned and bedridden Professor Smith, in need of medical attention...beckons them to him...for he has urgent news to convey...

 

At this juncture, the badly injured Smith passes out...and Beddows urges them to follow what his Master originally intended and to use the Simplon Orient Express as a means to travel to all the locations and thereby undo this evil that is referred to...he also provides £1,000 in large 'fivers' as means to beginning the journey...

...they have a few days to prepare, and perhaps an antique shop, and of course the British Museum to visit... Dr. Al Fayad remains sceptical as to Beddows and remains concerned about his mentor despite Beddows' assurances that he will find safe refuge for him...